University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Core Functions
UCEDD programs--such as The University of Cincinnati (UC) University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center--are designed to increase the independence, productivity and community integration and inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Their activities fall into four broad categories (Core Functions):
- Conducting interdisciplinary pre-service preparation / training
- Promoting exemplary community services, including community training / technical assistance and service model programs
- Conducting research
- Disseminating information to the field
Interdisciplinary Pre-Service Training
Interdisciplinary pre-service training includes the preparation and continuing education of students and fellows representing leadership, direct service, clinical or other personnel to strengthen and increase the capacity of states and communities.
The goal of the UCEDD Interdisciplinary Pre-Service Training Program is to provide trainees from a broad range of disciplines with training experiences which will result in increased knowledge and / or skills in providing quality services / supports required to promote:
- Self-determination
- Independence
- Productivity
- Community integration / inclusion of people with developmental disabilities
Training involves a formal interdisciplinary training program and clinical / practicum experiences.
Target Groups - Who Can Be Involved
Undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate level students can represent a wide variety of disciplines, including:
- Audiology
- Dentistry
- Early childhood education
- Family medicine
- Genetic counseling
- Health administration
- Neurology
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational therapy
- Pediatrics
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Social work
- Special education
- Speech pathology
- Other related disciplines and specialities
Community Training / Technical Assistance
Community training / technical assistance activities are provided for individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, professionals, paraprofessionals, policymakers, students and other members of the community. The goal of these activities is to increase knowledge and / or skills in providing, accessing and / or advocating for quality services and supports required to promote self-determination, independence, productivity and community integration / inclusion of people with developmental disabilities.
Activities
Activities include various conferences, workshops, in-service training activities which are sponsored / cosponsored by the UCEDD, as well as the participation of UCEDD faculty and staff in activities sponsored by others at the national, regional, state and local levels.
Service Model Programs
The goal of the service model programs is to provide children, adolescents and young adults and their families with the diagnostic and / or treatment / intervention services / supports required to promote the health, self-determination, independence, productivity and community integration/inclusion. These services are provided through components of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP) Clinical Services and Programs which focus on developmental disabilities.
Research
In collaboration with the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and other divisions of Cincinnati Children's, research and evaluation studies are conducted in areas that affect, or could affect, people with developmental disabilities and their families' ability to achieve self-determination, independence, productivity and community integration / inclusion.
Examples of current research in progress include:
- Effects of Journaling on Parents Suspected to Have a Child with a Developmental Disability
- Survey of Physicians Providing Services to Adults with Developmental Disabilities
- Multi-Site Study of Adolescents with Spina Bifida and Their Families
- Language Processing Studies with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Persons with Down Syndrome
- Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children with Down Syndrome
- Does Immune System Dysfunction Play a Role in Autism?
Information Dissemination
The goal of the UCEDD information dissemination activities is to promote self-determination, independence, productivity and community integration / inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. This is accomplished through both the dissemination of information developed by the UCEDD and dissemination of information developed by others at the local, state, national and international levels.
Products
Products developed by the UCEDD include:
- Refereed journal articles
- Non-refereed journal / newsletter articles
- Books
- Book chapters
- Educational modules
- And more
Products developed by the UCEDD and others are also disseminated through the Rubinstein Libraries. These libraries, which serve as the UCEDD's Information Center, are medical libraries found only at Cincinnati Children's where parents and other community members are provided with personalized assistance to find the medical information they are seeking. The libraries consist of a research, parents' and toy library. The toy library offers a unique lending service to any family in the community to engage children in learning through the use of developmental toys and assistive technology.
